The collection of urine specimens for analysis is standard medical procedure and it is desirable that the specimen be obtained for use with substantially little or no contamination which might adversely affect the results of such analysis. Further it is desirable that such devices be capable of easy use by a patient in a clean manner without soiling the patient or the patient's garments.
Many previous collecting devices provide a relatively narrow necked container which, while not too difficult for use by male patients, is more difficult for easy and clean use by female patients. Other devices which attempt to avoid such problems may in some instances be inconvenient or uncomfortable to use or generally appear to be relatively more expensive to manufacture than the device of this invention. Typical examples of such devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,923,040; 3,878,571; 3,832,738; 3,900,019; 3,033,222 and the like.
Improved collecting devices having wider necks and affording somewhat easier and more clean use by the patient are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,046,138; 3,881,465; 3,777,739 and the like.
However, most of these collecting devices require the sealing cap to be removed from the bottom of the collecting container, whereby it can be exposed to contamination, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,033,222; 3,518,164; 3,900,019 and 4,046,138; or require the sealing cap to be removed from a sealed bag as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,881,465 and 3,777,739; or readily expose the inner surface of the sealing cap to contamination as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,878,571 and 3,832,738. Most of such devices remain cumbersome for the patient to use and/or are difficult to instruct the patient in use.
Thus, it can be seen that there remains a need for a collecting device that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to use by the patient in a clean manner with little or no propensity for contaminating the sample, and for which simple instructions on use can be provided.